Trailer Link

Release Date:

July 4, 2014

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “A documentary film that recounts the inspiring and entertaining life of world-renowned film critic and social commentator Roger Ebert.”

Poster: B / B-

Review: The second design is the one I most commonly see when people discuss the film. That doesn’t make it the better, the first is a more interesting design. Both establish the subject of the film with ease, but neither shout inventive originality either.

Trailer: B

Review: This trailer is designed to appeal to one demographic and one alone: film critics. Little in the content of this trailer would give it much appeal to the broader audience base of cinema-themed documentaries. There’s still a possibility that non-critic cineastes could be intrigued, but a better exploration of Roger himself might have needed a more broadly appealing trailer.

Oscar Prospects:

Although Roger Ebert was a very respected film critic, filmmakers in general aren’t entirely enamored with critics, especially when they can make or break someone’s film (or at least they used to be able to). This may be a test for the Academy’s newly minuted documentary branch. Will they look past the critics (who actually can bolster a good documentary filmmaker) or will they put this in the realm of film-related documentaries that they so frequently ignore.

Revisions:

(May 25, 2014) Original